The Things We Do
by shieldmaiden5678
Summary: When Helga goes to a crazy party hosted by Rhonda Lloyd and drinks a little too much, the night spirals beyond her control. What's the worst that could happen?
1. Prologue

Helga leapt back as her locker door was abruptly slammed in her face. Leaning against the lockers with her hand upon Helga's locker door was Rhonda Lloyd with a sly smirk on her face. "Hey, Helga," she said.

"Rhonda," Helga coolly replied. They had never really been friends and ever since they had reached high school, their polar opposite personalities had created a tense relationship between the two teen girls.

From behind her back, Rhonda whipped out a white envelope with Helga's name written upon it in elegant cursive writing. "Just wanted to invite you to my soiree this Saturday night at my home. It's going to be the party of the year, and you don't want to miss it."

Raising her eyebrow, Helga took the invite and asked, "What're you up to, bucko?" It wasn't like Rhonda to include her in social events, so this was definitely out of the ordinary.

"I figured that I'd give you a chance to prove before we graduate at the end of the year that you are, in fact, a girl!" simpered Rhonda. She flinched when Helga growled and raised her right fist in a threatening manner. Remembering a small fact, Rhonda deviously grinned and leaned forward, whispering in Helga's ear "Besides, Arnold's going, and this could also be your last chance to _impress_ him, so to speak."

"Why would I even care about that football-headed dweeb?"

"Because, I _know_ that you have a crush on him." Helga's eyes widened in horror at Rhonda's statement, however she quickly shook her head and replaced her shock with a glare.

"That is a **complete** lie, Rhonda!" she shrieked. Rhonda continued to knowingly smile as she turned on her heel and walked away.

"Deny it all you want, but I know it's true! Be sure to wear something sexy!" Rhonda yelled before she rounded the corner. Helga remained at the lockers, contemplating whether or not Rhonda was merely playing her, or if she had actually figured out her deepest, most guarded of secrets. It was too bad Phoebe had already left for spring break with her parents, for she would have surely known what to do in a situation like this.

"So, are you going to go?" Helga jumped at the sound of Arnold's voice then quickly regained her composure before turning to face him. He had grown to match her height now, and his blonde hair still stuck out in the same unruly fashion it had been in since they had met in preschool. The little blue cap rested directly on the middle of his football shaped head, the only remaining connection he had to his still missing parents.

"No, I don't want to get all dressed up and get drunk at Miss Little Diva's ridiculous party! I have better things to do with my time, Arnoldo."

"Oh, well guess I won't see you there then. Have a good weekend, Helga!" Watching with her blue eyes as Arnold ran out of the school, Helga reached up to her chest and pulled out her locket from beneath her pink shirt. She flipped open the heart shaped locket to reveal Arnold's senior photo, in which he was dressed up in a tuxedo shirt, tie, and jacket with a half lidded gaze and dreamy smile. A small smile spread across her face as she gazed upon the photo.

"If going to this party will finally make you see how much I care for you, then go to it I shall!"

**A/N: New story time! I'm finally working on some ideas that I've had, so I hope that you enjoy them! Of course, any and all feedback is genuinely appreciated! :)**


	2. A Challenge

"You've reached the cell phone of Phoebe Hyerdahl. I'm not available at the moment, so please leave a message after the…" BEEP!

"Hey, Pheebs. Look, I really wish I could reach you right now because I know that you would know what to do. I think Rhonda knows about 'ice cream' and she invited me to her party that's happening tonight. I'm going to go not only to make sure she doesn't spill the beans, but to also hopefully impress Arnold as Rhonda thinks this is practically my last shot. If you get this, let me know what the right thing to do is, because I don't know anymore. Well, hope you're having fun with your family in Kentucky. Miss you…"

Snapping her phone shut, Helga flopped on to her bed and laid down with her legs hanging off. She let out a frustrated sigh as she weighed the options of her decision in her head. On the one hand, if she went to the party she would have to hang out with Rhonda and deal with all her classmates' rambunctious behavior, especially when they started drinking. A Rhonda Lloyd party was always comprised of plenty of alcohol, loud music with the bass turned up so high that the walls vibrated, and her parents also conveniently away on a business trip. So there was certainly the high possibility that she, Helga G. Pataki, would be vulnerable to making a complete and utter fool of herself. However, Arnold was going and it would be an opportunity to show him that she could act normal and have fun at a silly party.

Her bullying of him had decreased significantly since their elementary school days as Helga had matured emotionally enough to recognize how much her bullying not only hurt Arnold, but also herself. With Dr. Bliss's help, she took steps in learning how to control her brash side of her personality so that it only came out when she wanted it to, and not as a defense mechanism alone. Through this work, she had managed to get to the point where she and Arnold would greet each other in the hallways and have simple conversations revolving around their schoolwork and other neutral topics. The fact that they only shared one class together, English, was the only thing really hampering her ability to see him more and work on growing an actual friendship. She knew it was possible, and that it was the first step on actually getting him to see her in a more romantic light that she so desperately wanted him to see her in.

She furrowed her brow as she got up, determined to go to the party more than ever. It certainly was an opportunity to see Arnold outside of school, and she could really dress up so that she would cause every boy's jaw to drop and every girl's eyes to go green with envy. A sly smirk crossed her face as she thought about how the night could unfold. "If I play my cards right, I could steal Rhonda Lloyd's thunder right out from underneath her cherry red heels." Standing in front of her mirror, she examined her reflection. A gray crocheted beanie rested atop her head where her hair fell from underneath it in two loose pigtails that hung over her shoulders. She tugged off her bright pink scoop neck shirt and the long sleeved white shirt underneath it as well. Unzipping her jeans and kicking of her combat boots, she dashed to the bathroom and took a quick shower. Afterwards, she massaged in some volumizing conditioner and blow dried her hair until it billowed out in a luscious and voluptuous form. Her feet padded against the hardwood floor as she ran to her armoire and whipped open the door. Pushing back a large amount of dreary looking clothes, she found what she was looking for. Against one side of her armoire were several slinky dresses that Olga had left to her in an attempt to get her to unleash her more girly side. She flicked through each one until she reached the last one, a hot pink one shouldered number that was ruched in all the right places.

Once she slipped into it and after a minor struggle with the side zipper, she threw on some black strappy heels then turned to face herself again in the mirror. A gasp escaped from her before a wide, vixen-like smile appeared. "Can I clean up or what?" Winking at herself in the mirror, she pulled out some make up and applied mascara, a light blush, and a nude lip gloss before snatching a pink clutch that she had also received from Olga and walked out of her room. As she clacked down the stairs, it took her a minute to remember why the house sounded so quiet. Her parents had taken an impromptu vacation without her to Maui. Thus she didn't hear the normal sounds of her father watching a loud football game as her mother snored in a drunken stupor behind the couch. She paused at the door and relished the silence of her home, then stepped out on to the lamp lit streets of the city.

Rhonda Lloyd stood behind the center island of her family's kitchen as she mixed vodka and orange juice together in a punch bowl, a surefire way to get herself and her classmates smashed so that they would have a good time. Once this task was finished, she placed a silver ladle in the bowl and set it in the middle of the island with plenty of red plastic cups surrounding it. "Perfect!" she squealed with a grin. One last look around her home ensured that all of her family's valuables and fragile items were locked away. She had learned her lesson last year when her father's prized Swarovski crystal swan had been knocked down and smashed into thousands of little pieces during a game of beer pong that had gotten too out of hand. Placing her hands on her hips, she thought to herself about how perfect the night was going to be. The doorbell snapped her out of her thoughts and she ran to answer it. "Lila! Harold! Stinky! Sheena! Sid! Welcome!" As each of them came in, she gave each a friendly hug. No one noticed that she hugged Harold a little longer than the others.

"Oh Rhonda, I'm ever so glad that you invited me to your party!" Lila sweetly said. Rhonda cringed a little as Lila's "ever so's" had started to grate on her nerves a little.

"Glad you could make it, Lila! Now everyone! There's 'punch' in the bowl, beer in the fridge, and plenty of munchies around. Let's have some fun!" Everyone dashed to her wide open kitchen as Rhonda flicked on the music and turned down the lights. Yes, everything was going to be perfect.

As Helga slowly walked up the steps to Rhonda's door, she froze. A thousand different thoughts entered her mind as she stared at the door that was slightly vibrating in time with the loud music. She could still turn around, run home, change into her pajamas, and have an all night Buffy marathon. It wasn't too late! This idea became very tempting to her, and it wasn't long before she had turned around, prepared to do just that. Her plans for an at home Buffy marathon quickly dissipated though as soon as she saw him and his emerald green eyes light up. "Helga! You did come! Whoa, you look amazing!" shouted Arnold a little too enthusiastically with a large smile.

A nervous laugh escaped Helga as she rubbed her right hand up and down her left arm. "Heh yea, thanks. You seem awfully happy about it, football head."

"Well, we never get to see each other really outside of English. You really are a good writer, Helga. I always secretly hope that I get your paper to edit on essay workshop days because they're always pretty fun to read. Besides, it looks like you really put in some effort tonight for the party." Helga blushed at this and looked down at her feet, embarrassed that he thought so highly of her writing and had complimented her appearance. "Are you going in?"

"Huh? Oh yea! Yea I'm going in!" Somehow she managed to walk up the rest of the stairs without losing her footing in her dazed state. "He likes my writing, and he thinks I look hot! Ohhh this night is going to be great!" Arnold rang the doorbell and it wasn't long before Rhonda opened the entranceway.

"Hellooo you two!" A smirk appeared on Rhonda's face as her eyes narrowed in a knowing fashion. She peered over at Helga and winked. This caused Helga to scowl at her and ball up her right hand in a fist. "Ah ha ha, come on in," she said, carefully eyeing Helga's fist. Coyly she raised an eyebrow after she examined Helga's appearance, pretty amazed at how good Helga could look when she put the effort into it. "Drinks and munchies are in the kitchen, dancing in the living area and balcony!" Rhonda shouted to them over the loud music.

Arnold motioned for Helga to lean in and he half shouted in her ear, "I'm going to go get something to drink, do you want anything?" Helga vigorously shook her head, then watched as he worked his way through the throng of teens to the kitchen, a soft smile on her face.

"You see that Harold! I knew she liked him! Now listen to me…" Then Rhonda cupped her hand Harold's ear and told him something that made a big toothy grin appear on his face.

"I got this, Rhonda." He then crumpled his empty red cup and sauntered over to Helga, who still stood near the entry way. "Hey, Helga!"

"Harold," Helga replied with a curt nod.

"Aren't you going to drink anything?"

"No, because I'd rather not turn into a sniveling baboon as so many of you appear to be doing right now. You go right on ahead though."

"I bet I could drink you under the table, Helga! I bet I could drink so much more than you could!"

"Ha, sure Harold. Whatever you say." Rolling her eyes, she attempted to move away from him, however he quickly blocked her escaped. "Harold, if you don't move this instant I will let Ol' Betsy out! I'm not afraid to do that."

"But you're also afraid that you would lose in a drinking competition with me! You're a looooooser!" He then pointed at her and began to loudly laugh. "Helga won't drink because she can't hold her liquor!" Several other teens joined in the laughter as Helga's fury grew.

"I'm not going to do that, and it's not because I can't hold my liquor!"

"Then prove it, Helga," voiced Rhonda as she stepped up next to Harold with a snide smirk. The rest of the teens around her began chanting "Prove it!" as she began to realize that she had gotten herself into an inescapable situation. Now the true purpose of why Rhonda had invited her to the party was becoming clear. Looking Harold over, she saw that he had already had a few drinks and was likely to topple over after just a few more. Hopefully she wouldn't have to drink too much to prove to her classmates that she wasn't a sissy.

"ALL RIGHT! I'll do it," she screamed over the crowd as she threw her arms up in frustration. In a flash she was seated directly across from Harold with an empty shot glass in front of her and a good crowd of her classmates standing around the table.

"The rules are simple. First one to topple over from the table loses. I'll pour!" Rhonda smoothly poured them each a shot of vodka as they each wrapped their hands around their shot glass.

Harold grinned over at Helga, "You're going down, Hellgirl."

"Not if I beat you first, pudgy," shot back Helga with a smug look. Then she took her shot glass and threw the vodka back into her mouth, desperately hoping that it would all be over quickly.

**A/N: Hey all! Just to give you the heads up, updates on this story will be slow over the next month as I am in prep mode for my July 6 MCAT! Please bear with me though, because I will complete this! It's been rattling in my head too long just begging to get out...**


	3. Surprise!

Water poured from the open sink tap and filled the cup in Arnold's outstretched hand. Upon his arrival to Rhonda's kitchen, he had been pleasantly offered a cup of whatever alcoholic concoction was in the punch bowl by Nadine, which he had politely declined. The idea of drinking and being unaware of the decisions that one makes while under the influence never did sit well with him. The only reason he ever showed up to these parties really was to ensure that his friends got home safely. Once his cup was full, he removed it and began to walk back out to the front entrance of Rhonda's home.

He thought about how Helga had become easier to get along with over the past several years. Her bullying of him had certainly decreased to a more manageable level and he felt that he was getting to know her more than ever through her English papers. By reading her English assignments during their peer editing assignments, he got a small glimpse into the side of her that she worked so hard at hiding away from the world. On one particular assignment at the beginning of the school year where they had to write about a major life experience, he had been touched by her essay wherein she had written about her older sister, Olga, moving out of the family home when she was twelve years old. Even though it didn't appear like Helga cared for her on the surface, through her writing Arnold was able to see that Helga loved Olga more than she was able to fully express. Losing the one family member that she truly cared about had been a major turning point in her life as she had to deal with the loss and the changes that came with it.

It was also through this paper that he saw what he knew had always been inside of Helga; a good, caring side that she only showed to a very select few people. He had seen it on rare occasions, but through the twelve point font Times New Roman letters on the sheets of paper in front of him, he saw her true nature shine through. It was at that point that he finally resolved to really become friends with Helga before they graduated high school in the next few months and split ways, possibly forever. During their English classes and the times they ran into each other in the hallways, he had always made a point to take an interest in her life and get to know her. Her resolve toward him had gradually softened over the year and he had finally seen a genuinely peaceful smile on her face last week when he had wished her a happy birthday. Personally, he considered themselves to be friends, but he was pretty sure that Helga didn't see them as being that close. He half smiled as he thought to himself that he should probably ask her tonight if she wanted to hang out over spring break.

Resolving to do this, he looked up from his cup and noticed that Helga was not where he had left her. A loud cheer from the living room area caught his attention and lead him to the ongoing shot match between Helga and Harold. "With six shots down, there seems to be no sign of either Helga or Harold losing their wits!" announced Rhonda as she poured another shot of vodka for each of them. Quickly she whispered something in Harold's ear before standing back up and yelling for them to take the shot. Arnold's eyes widened in shock, then narrowed as anger overtook him when he saw Harold dump the shot on the floor as Helga took her's. The rest of the teens saw this too and began sniggering, for they wanted to see the outcast fall before their very eyes.

Arnold dropped his cup and fought his way to the front of the crowd, pushing people to the side with such force that no one had ever seen him display before. "Arnold! Please stop!" cried Lila as he shoved her into Sid, who fell to the ground with Lila on top of him.

"Hey, Lila, how's it goin'?" said Sid with a wink. He was promptly shoved back down to the ground as Lila stood up and rejoined the crowd in a huff.

"Rhonda, what the hell are you doing?" screamed Arnold in a harsh tone that caused everyone to drop their voices to a hushed level. Smirking, Rhonda simply turned to face Arnold and set the bottle of vodka down on the table. Helga meekly looked over with large eyes and a flushed face. It was obvious that she was quite inebriated at this point.

"I'm simply just putting on a friendly competition so these two can have a good time, Arnold," Rhonda replied innocently as she batted her eyelashes. In one swift motion, Arnold grabbed Helga's arm and whipped her up from the chair. She wobbled a bit as she stood and her cheeks grew redder.

"Arnold?" she asked shyly. "What're you doing?"

"Taking you home. We're leaving!"

"I don't want to go though! Let's dance! Just one dance!" She pulled on his arm giddily as she said this. Unfortunately she lost her balance in doing so and promptly crashed against the table, landing on the floor in a giggling heap. Rhonda covered her laugh as Arnold knelt down to help Helga back up.

"Come on, Helga. You don't want to hang out with these jerks. Just let me help you home, please." Pleadingly he looked into her glazed eyes, hoping that she would be able to understand how serious he was about leaving. Her cheeks reddened even more as she stared into his emerald green eyes and her smile disappeared, replaced with a gentle look that Arnold was sure he had seen once before. He didn't get the chance to place it though as next thing he knew, Helga had placed her hands on his face and was sweetly kissing him. At first this move surprised him as he couldn't believe what was happening, then for a split second he started to return her kiss. However, the cat calls and giggles from above them quickly reminded him where they were, causing him to abruptly move back.

Helga remained sitting on the ground with a dopey smile on her face as Arnold stood, completely at a loss for words. He grabbed her hand and helped her up with a little too much force that caused her to flop into his arms. Now his cheeks were about as red as her's as the laughs and cat calls only increased. "Let's go," he said to Helga as he steadied her and grasped her hand.

"Lead the way, my love," giggled Helga. The crowd split as he stiffly lead Helga out by the hand, avoiding eye contact with everyone. "Have fun you two!" exclaimed Rhonda. Helga wiggled her fingers in an enthusiastic goodbye as they reached the door.

As they were about to step out he heard Gloria call out to them. "She forgot her clutch," she said as she handed it to him with a kind smile.

He thanked her as he took the clutch, then turned and walked down the concrete steps with Helga, ensuring that she maintained her balance. Once they reached the bottom, he felt the clutch begin to vibrate. After a bit of a fight with the clutch's clasp, he pulled out a cell phone and answered it without hesitation as Helga was now busy twirling around on the sidewalk, laughing at the world.


	4. Midnight Wish

"Hello?" said Arnold into Helga's cell phone.

"ARNOLD? Is that you? Why are you on Helga's cell phone?" shouted Phoebe so loudly that Arnold had to hold the phone at arm's length. He quickly decided that it would be better to put her on speaker so that he wouldn't kill his hearing.

"Well, uh, yea about that. She's pretty drunk right now…"

Phoebe gasped and Arnold was pretty sure he could hear the clunk of her cell phone hitting the ground, indicating that she had dropped it in her shock. "What happened? Oh goodness, Arnold, I wish I had gotten her voicemail earlier!"

"Rhonda and Harold challenged her to a drinking contest and…well, you can figure how that went."

"Ohh yes. Hmph. Oh my this is quite a conundrum. I really wish I was there!"

"Yea, wish you were here too right now, Phoebe." At the sound of her best friend's name, Helga immediately stopped twirling, ran up, and snatched the phone from Arnold's hand.

"PHEEBS! I MISS YOU! You should have been here tonight because I am having a HOOT!" Even in her drunken state Helga was able to outmaneuver Arnold as he tried in vain to regain possession of the phone.

"Uh, Helga. I miss you too, but do you think you could put Arnold back on please? I really need to speak with him."

"Phoebe I gotta tell ya! We kissed! We did we did we did!" Helga bounced up and down giddily as she kept on repeating herself, giving Arnold the chance he needed to grab the phone. His cheeks began to feel very flushed and warm at the memory of the kiss.

"Phoebe, it's Arnold again."

"Did you take advantage of her? Because I will ki-!"

"NO! Gosh no, Phoebe," he nervously laughed as he said this. "It all just happened suddenly, and…gah that's not what's important right now! Look, I'm just going to take her home and then check on her in the morning." Helga lunged forward as Arnold moved the phone from her reach, causing her to tumble to the ground. She simply laughed and tried to get up, falling on the sidewalk again.

"You can't leave her at home, Arnold! Her parents are out of town, so she'd be by herself! Do you know what could happen?" shrieked Phoebe in a sharp tone.

"Erm…no?" he said meekly.

"She could vomit in her sleep and aspirate, where her vomit would collect in her lungs. From there best case scenario would be that she just gets a lung infection in the following days, worst case is that she stops breathing and dies. Either way, it's horrid and I will not allow any of that to happen to her, do you hear me?"

Arnold vigorously nodded, then quickly shouted yes into the phone when he realized that Phoebe definitely could not see him.

"Good. Now I would suggest that you take her home with you and have her spend the night. That way you can ensure that she makes it through the coming hours all right, because it is not going to be pretty."

A sigh escaped Arnold as he looked over at Helga who was now attempting to balance on one foot. Taking care of her for the night was going to be a handful, but it was something he was going to have to do.

"All right, Phoebe. I'll take care of her, don't worry."

"Good, well good night, Arnold! Good bye, Helga!"

"Tell Gerald I said hey okay?"

"Aw man, I knew you'd figure out where I'd gone!" piped up Gerald. A slight giggle that sounded like it came from Phoebe emanated through the earpiece.

"It really wasn't a mystery, Gerald. Your girlfriend goes on vacation to Kentucky and you just happen to decide to take a road trip around the same time? Very sneaky."

"Yea yea. You just be careful, all right?"

"We'll be fine! Now good night!" Arnold snapped the phone shut and walked over to Helga, who appeared dejected at the sight of the phone.

"You didn't let me say goodbye," she sadly noted.

"I'm sorry, but we really need to be getting to my place because it's getting late." Helga nodded at this and wrapped her arm around his, beaming up at him. He couldn't help but smile in return.

For a little while they walked the sidewalks in silence with Helga wobbling every so often and Arnold helping her maintain her balance. Eventually, her walking in heels became too much that they turned down an alleyway that was dimly lit by a street lamp so she could take them off. After a small amount of struggling on his part, Arnold managed to work the straps of the heels off and removed them from her feet.

"Thanks, they were starting to get really sore," Helga said as she pushed her hair back behind her ears. He couldn't help but notice how beautiful she looked in the dim light and he was slightly taken aback that he had never really seen it before. Her blue eyes told him so much about how she felt about him and she had a half smile on her face. "Dance with me," she murmured as she put his hands on her waist and placed her own upon his shoulders. Slowly they began to shuffle from side to side in place, gazing into each other's eyes. Arnold couldn't help but smile, but he noticed that Helga's smile had turned into a devilish smirk. Next thing he knew she was flinging him out then whipping him back in.

"Whoa!" he shouted as he grasped her waist again. In retaliation he twirled her out then brought her back into him, where he smoothly dipped her down tracing her spine with his fingertips. When he brought her back up he noticed that she looked a little funny. Quickly, she clasped her hand to her mouth and turned around, dashing to the nearby dumpster where she promptly vomited. After she was done retching, Arnold walked up to her and placed his hand on her back. "Are you all right?"

"Now I am," she replied as she bent down to pick up her heels. As quickly as the moment had come, it had dissipated into memory.

"We better get to my place quick," Arnold said as he grasped Helga's hand and began walking at a fast pace.

It didn't take them much longer to reach the Sunset Arms building. As Arnold opened the door, Helga shrieked when nearly a dozen different animals stampeded out. Arnold laughed at her reaction, then helped her up the stairs to the hallway. Thankfully it appeared as though everyone was asleep. However this turned out to not be the case when he pulled down the staircase to his room and watched as Helga walked, well crawled, up, for his grandpa poked his head out of his room at this time.

"Hey there, Shortman! You're back! And I see you brought some company." Mischievously he winked at his football headed grandson, who couldn't go red in the face fast enough.

"Grandpa," moaned Arnold. "It's not like that. I'm just making sure that she gets through the night okay. She's pretty well…drunk."

His grandfather nodded knowingly, understanding his grandson's need to ensure the safety of those he cared about. "Well, you let me know if you need anything. Night, Arnold!"

"Night, Grandpa," he replied as he followed Helga into his room and shut the door. "All right, um, we better, uh…" He blushed furiously as he thought about what he was going to say next. "We better get into some other clothes. Uh, you want to take your, uh, dress off and I'll find you something to wear?" Helga nodded in response as she began to fiddle with her side zipper while Arnold quickly turned around to look through his closet. He pulled at his collar as he suddenly felt very warm. Finding a long red and flannel shirt, he yanked it down and turned to find Helga still struggling with her side zipper.

"I think it's stuck. Could you help?" By this point, Arnold's face matched the red on the flannel shirt. He tread over to her and placed his fingers on her dress zipper, gulping as he did so. This was not a task that should be entrusted to a teenage boy, even one as well intentioned and good hearted as he was.

"I promise I won't look," he told Helga as he began to pull on the zipper.

"Oh, Arnold, my darling, I don't care if you look," chortled Helga as she sweetly smiled down at him. He wondered if the zipper had ever really been stuck as it unzipped with ease while he concentrated on staring fervently at the floor. The dress fell down to her feet and she stepped out in nothing but her bra and undies. Arnold kept looking away, but even he was vulnerable to giving in to temptation. Quickly he allowed himself to flit his eyes in her direction and saw that she was wearing a pink and white polka dotted bra with dark pink bikini underwear. Sweat began to bead up around his forehead and just as he was about to dart his eyes away, their eyes locked and Helga giggled as he rapidly began to focus on a random corner of his room.

"Um, I found this for you to wear. You can change here, I'll go down to the bathroom to change." He threw the shirt at her then hastily grabbed some pajamas and ran down to the hallway bathroom. While in the bathroom, he splashed cold water on his face and stared himself down through the mirror. "Keep your cool, Arnold. Yes you've got a girl in your room who is spending the night, but it's Helga! Helga G. Pataki! There is no way that she likes you in that way! She's drunk right now which is why she's so…opposite her usual self. Come on, Arnold! Get it together!" he shouted at himself as he waved his arms around. With a deep breath, he marched back to his room and immediately flew into a panic upon not seeing Helga there. It didn't take him long to notice that his skylight window was open.

Upon stepping out on to the roof, he noticed Helga standing near the edge staring out at the open sky that was decorated with numerous stars and a crescent moon. He called out to her and she turned, waving as the buttoned up flannel shirt delicately billowed at her knees in the light breeze. "What're you doing up here?" he asked once he reached her.

"Oh just contemplating the heavens and thinking about life. Usual stuff." Shrugging her shoulders, she leaned against the water tower and returned to looking up. Silently, Arnold joined her. Everything was peaceful as the two contemplated the evening and how they even ended up where they were now. A shooting star shot across the sky that Arnold did not wish upon, but he couldn't help but see Helga's lips curl up into a serene smile after it had passed.

Curious, he asked, "What did you wish for, just now?"

"You really want to know?" Arnold nodded, patiently waiting for her response. "Well, ever since I was three years old, I've been head over heels in love with this boy who is kind, good hearted, and has always been kind to me, even when I was completely cruel to him. I only told him the truth once, nine years ago on a rooftop ironically enough, and I had the nerve to redact it shortly after. However, my feelings never changed. So tonight, I wished for the courage to again tell that truth on this rooftop." Arnold knew that she was referring to him, but he decided to play along to see exactly what she was going to say.

With a deep breath and the courage that the vodka had given her, she turned and faced Arnold with a dead serious look upon her face. "Arnold, I'm in love with you. I never stopped and I just want you to know that. I know I said I built shrines to you and all that random weird stuff when I was a kid, but I don't do that anymore just so you don't think that I'm this creepy stalker or something," she nervously laughed as she said this. "Look, this is just me telling you the truth and hoping against hope that you feel the same." She searched his eyes for an answer, but when none came, she simply closed her eyes and leaned in a little hoping that he would kiss her in response.

Arnold was stunned by what Helga had just told him. He had thought that she still harbored some feelings for him, but he had never realized that she still loved him. Now he was staring at the girl who longed for him to kiss her back in that moment and make her dreams come true. As badly as he wanted to kiss her, for he was fairly sure that his feelings for her were much deeper and complicated than a simple friendship, he knew that it wouldn't be right. She was still in an intoxicated state and it would be too much like taking advantage of her in the moment. Helga's eyes fluttered open when she felt his hand upon her shoulder.

"Helga," he said as he took her hand. "It's not that I don't like you, it's that right now, in this moment, you're drunk. This wouldn't be the right way to start anything. I hope you understand." To show her that he did care for her, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a hug. She stifled a surprised squeak and returned his hug, resting her head upon his shoulder. For a few moments they remained in that position as the crickets chirped and the stars shone. As they broke apart, he smiled at her and took her hand, leading her back down into his room where he her lay down in his bed.

He placed the covers over her then sweetly placed a kiss on her forehead. Treading to the couch on the other side of his room, he was stopped in his tracks when he heard Helga softly murmur, "Good night, sweet prince."

Laying down on his couch he replied, "Good night, Helga." He couldn't help but smile as he fell asleep, finally assured of what he had suspected for so long.


	5. Rude Awakenings

"AGGHHHHH!" Arnold sat bolt up right on his couch and immediately looked in the direction that the tormented shout had emanated from. Sitting up in the bed clenching her stomach was Helga with an anguished look on her face. Immediately he rushed over to her and sat upon the bed.

"What's wrong?" he asked in a mildly panicky voice.

"My stomach! Ughhh! I'm so nauseated and my stomach feels like a thousand sharp knives are penetrating it! Criminy, just cut out my stomach right now! I'M BEGGING YOU!" Again she screamed out in pain and grabbed onto Arnold's shirt collar for support. He gently took her hands off of him and dashed out of his room, in search of something, anything, to calm her stomach down.

It wasn't long before he was rushing back into his room with a small medicinal cup filled with a pink liquid. He shoved it into her hand and sternly said, "Drink this. It'll help." Helga downed the liquid as quickly as she could, then slammed the cup down on the shelf next to the bed. She clenched her stomach again as tears began to stream down her face from the pain. Seeing this, Arnold scooted on the bed next to her and wrapped his arms around her. "It'll all be over soon," he said in a soothing voice. He felt her relax in his arms as he began to rub her back. Quietly she laid back against him and deeply inhaled, trying not to think about her overpowering nausea in the hopes that it would dissipate.

About a half hour later, Helga had calmed down considerably as the medicine had begun to work its magic. Half awakw she played with Arnold's fingers as he silently observed, trying not to fall asleep before she did. "Thank you," she murmured in a worn out voice. A half smile appeared on Arnold's face as he felt her slide down a little against his chest. Several moments later, both were in a peaceful sleep, unaware that they were still together in the same bed.

Sunlight shone into the room through the skylight as Helga blearily opened up her eyes. As she started to yawn, she stopped about halfway through as she realized that she wasn't in her room. It didn't take her very long for her to realize from the wallpaper and the potato clock on the shelf that she was in Arnold's room. Her hands clapped to her mouth as she stifled a yelp. Helga's mind went into a tizzy as she tried to remember the events of the night prior, however all she got back were fuzzy remnants from her then alcohol soaked mind. Sorting through what she could remember and trying to decide if certain memories did happen, she shifted her body a little and felt a hand slide off her shoulder. Cautiously she turned over and came face to face with Arnold, still in a peaceful slumber. Immediately she sat upright and rubbed her eyes, thinking that she may possibly be dreaming. Still unconvinced when she saw that he was still laying there on the bed beside her, she pinched herself and yelped out in pain. "Okay, not a dream," she muttered to herself in a dazed voice. "Okay Helga, girl, get a grip on yourself. You just woke up in Arnold's bed. I just woke up in Arnold's bed…" her voice trailed off as the reality of the situation sunk in. Excitedly she fist bumped the air with a giddy smile, but then quickly recoiled to the opposite side of the bed as she realized that she still couldn't remember exactly how she got there. She had been known to sleepwalk on occasion. Was it possible that in her drunken state last night she had slept walked to Arnold's room and planted herself in the bed? "Criminy, I've got to remember what happened last night! Okay, so I went to Rhonda's party, and Arnold went to go grab a drink. Then Rhonda and Harold challenged me to that drinking game, and then…and then…" It was at this point that she slapped her hand up to her forehead. "Gah why am I such a neurotic idiot? Think, Helga, think! I know I was drunk out of my mind and my stomach is definitely not helping matters right now!" She rubbed her stomach in an annoyed fashion as it felt very uneasy. Resting her head against the wall, she looked over at Arnold and smiled at how tranquil he appeared. She came to the conclusion that she would have to wake him up in order to figure out what exactly had happened and how she had landed herself in this situation.

Gently she leaned over and shook his shoulder as she whispered his name. When this failed to wake him, she got right in his face and said in a loud voice, "WAKE UP, FOOTBALL HEAD!" His eyes flashed open and he nearly tumbled out of bed as he was shocked awake by Helga. Her hand grabbed and steadied him at the last minute so that he was able to sit up in the bed.

"Geez, Helga. I'm awake now. Urgh, what time is it?" He grabbed his potato powered clock and saw that it read 7:30 AM. Annoyed at how early it was, he firmly set it back on the shelf and hopped out of bed.

Relieved that he wasn't surprised that she was in his bed, Helga responded "Look, I'm sorry about waking you up and all, but I really don't know what's going on. For instance, why the heck am I waking up in your room?"

"Well, what do you remember?" Arnold inquired as he turned and faced her. Helga recounted everything that she could recall up until she had taken about the third shot of vodka. He nodded thoughtfully at this as he picked up on the fact that she didn't remember anything that had happened between them. From the kiss, the alley way dance, to her heartfelt confession of still present romantic feelings. At this point, he could simply let her believe what he wanted her to and once again fail to give her an answer on how he felt. However, he was fairly sure that after last night, he knew where his heart stood when it came to Helga Pataki. "I'm guessing that you have a bunch of questions regarding last night, am I right?"

"You got that right, Arnoldo," she snidely remarked with a smirk.

He gave her a knowing grin in return as he said, "Let me fix us some breakfast and I'll fill you in over that. Meet me on the rooftop in say, fifteen minutes?"

"What? You want to have breakfast…with me?" Arnold nodded, then left the room. If Helga wasn't confused before, she definitely was now. Her mind couldn't quite wrap around the fact that Arnold wanted to have breakfast with her, let alone fix it. To her it sounded like…a date. At this thought, a small sigh escaped from her.

**A/N: Short chapter, I know. Honestly though when I'm done writing a section, I'm done. It's how it goes with me =) Hope you all enjoy this part and thanks for continuing to read! It really does mean a lot!**


	6. Morning Conversations

As soon as Helga was sure that Arnold had reached the bottom of the stairs, she leapt across his room to his desk and snatched her phone out of her clutch. With anxious fingers she hastily dialed and tapped her foot impatiently as she waited for her call to be picked up. "H-hello?" said a weary voice on the other end.

"Phoebe! Criminy, you have GOT to help me out here!"

"Helga? Oh Helga! I was so worried about you! Are you all right? How are you feeling? Is everything okay?" Phoebe asked in a worried, slightly high-pitched voice.

"I'm fine except for the fact that I just woke up in ARNOLD'S ROOM! Oh and we slept in the SAME BED! Oh and now he's making us breakfast! What the heck is going on, Phoebe?"

"Well, what do you remember from last night?" Phoebe timidly asked.

"Uh, well I remember taking several shots in an effort to show that blowhard Harold that I could handle my liquor better than him. The rest of the night after about the fourth shot is pretty much a blur. Like, I remember a few bits and pieces here and there. Such as an alleyway, looking at the stars, undressing in front of…" At this particular chunk of memory, Helga's cheeks reddened and her voice trailed off.

"Helga, did you guys…?"

"I don't know, Phoebe! If I knew I think I'd tell you wouldn't I?" She snapped angrily, clenching her fist in frustration. "Look, do you know anything at all about last night?"

"Um, I did return your call, but it was Arnold who picked up. He sounded pretty stressed regarding the situation and after he said my name, you stole the phone away from him and told me that you and Arnold had, uh, well, kissed."

Helga's cheeks flushed to an even deeper shade of red. At the mention of the kiss, the memory resurfaced. Sitting on the floor in the middle of a crowded room of her peers, a dopey smile on her face, placing her hands on his wonderful face and sweetly kissing him, and believing for a brief second that he was returning the kiss. Her mouth fell open and she brought her hand up to her lips, recalling how it felt to brush those lips against his. "Helga? Are you still there?"

Helga snapped back into reality with a start and quietly said, "Yes, I'm here. So, I kissed him. Um, did he say anything about it?"

"No," Helga's face fell dejectedly. "However, I did make sure that he hadn't taken advantage of you and told him to take you back to his home for the night to ensure that you would make it through the night okay."

"I'm pretty sure I'm the one who took advantage of him," remarked Helga with a small smirk.

"Mmm it would appear your drunken self is quite bold. I can't help you with much else regarding last night as that was the only time I spoke with Arnold. Are you feeling all right this morning?"

Helga rubbed her stomach as she said, "I feel a little nauseated and I've got a bit of a headache, but I'm pretty sure I'll live. I'm Helga G. Pataki. I'm one tough bitch!"

Giggling, Phoebe replied, "That you are, and I admire you for it. I must be going. Gerald was going to take my parents and I out for breakfast. He's wonderful like that." Helga heard Phoebe sigh and smiled knowing how happy her friend was with him.

"All right, all right. I'll let you off the hook for now. Don't let tall hair boy be cheap on this breakfast date. Make sure he treats you right! Or else I'll have to teach him a lesson or two on how to date my best friend!"

Phoebe laughed at this and said, "Goodbye, Helga. Don't be too hard on Arnold. He was only helping, you know." With a click she hung up, leaving Helga stunned at her last words. Phoebe really knew her well and was trying to warn her from putting her defenses up. Helga took a deep breath and relaxed herself, sinking into Arnold's desk chair and placing the phone back in her clutch. She knew for this morning to turn out the way she wanted it, she would have to not resort to her usual bullying tendencies like she normally did when she came close to revealing her most guarded secret. Besides, they had kissed and done God knows what else. May as well see where the morning took them.

She opened the clutch again and pulled out from the bottom her tattered pink ribbon. Slowly she wrapped it around her hair and tied it into a precise bow. A rattling behind her startled her and she quickly whipped around to see Arnold poking his head in from the skylight. "Breakfast's ready. I figured we could eat up here," he announced with a grin. Helga returned the smile as she got up and crossed the room, grasping his hand as he helped her up and on to the roof.

A light breeze was blowing, making the bottom of her flannel shirt billow and her hair wave around her. She placed her hair behind her ears as Arnold led her to a table that he had set up on the center of the roof, overlooking the city. Once they reached the table, he pulled out a chair for her, gesturing for her to sit. "I like your bow," he commented with a kind smile. She meekly thanked him as she sat and looked down to be greeted by a plate of wheat toast, fluffy scrambled eggs, and piping hot sausage with a glass of orange juice.

Once he had taken the seat across from her, she immediately asked, "What happened last night?"

Arnold gave her a small smile and raised his eyebrows slightly as he responded, "Diving in to the main topic already now, are we? You should eat a little first, you must be starving." He took a large bite of his toast as he maintained eye contact with her blue eyes.

Without thinking, Helga half shouted, "Did we have sex?" This question was one that Arnold was not expecting as he choked on his toast and immediately set into a coughing fit.

"N-NO! What…no of course not!" he spluttered, his cheeks as red as the raspberry jam on his toast.

Helga breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn't that she didn't want to do that with him eventually, it just wasn't the way that she wanted it to happen if it were to occur. "Good. That was my biggest worry."

"I would never take advantage of you like that. You should know that," Arnold said, looking mildly hurt. Helga averted his gaze and stuffed a large bite of scrambled eggs into her mouth in an effort to prevent her from spewing out more embarrassing questions.

After she gulped the eggs down, she looked back over at Arnold and quietly asked, "So…what did happen last night? You know, after I got drunk and everything?" Arnold took a sip of orange juice and set his glass down, rubbing his arm nervously. He knew that what he revealed about last night could very well change everything regarding their simple friendship. Silently, he decided that it was for the best to reveal everything. There was no point in keeping Helga Pataki in the dark. She'd eventually figure out the truth about everything anyways, knowing how cunning she could be.

"It was definitely an interesting night, that much is for sure," he replied as he fiddled with his eggs.

"Tell me," Helga sternly commanded.

With a deep breath, Arnold commenced in retelling the events of the prior night, hoping that everything would turn out all right in the end.

**A/N: Thank you all for your patience regarding the length of time it took to update. I had been quite busy studying for my MCAT, but it is finito now! So back to writing! :) Hope you all enjoy this chapter and thanks for continuing to read! **


	7. Collide

"I guess I should start at the beginning," started Arnold nervously as he slightly tugged at his shirt collar.

"That would be a wonderful place, genius," Helga snidely remarked with a smirk.

"You remember me going to go get a drink right?" Helga nodded at this. "After I got my water, I came back and found you in the middle of a drinking match with Harold. It wasn't until I saw him throw his shot back on the floor that I really got mad and-"

"WHAT? HE CHEATED? WHY THAT SLIMY LITTLE-" she slammed her fist down on the table and scowled. Arnold winced at this, but managed to continue on.

"Yes, he was cheating and I'm sure you'll make him pay for it. Once I saw that, I forced my way through the crowd and confronted Rhonda and Harold. You were pretty much drunk at that point as you were trying to pull me out to dance. After you fell, I knelt down to help you up and, you…uh…well you kissed me." He looked over at her to try and gage her reaction to this. Surprisingly, she seemed fairly mellow and did not become abrasive. "You did hear me correctly, right Helga? You. Kissed. Me."

"Uh huh. Phoebe kind of told me this morning and I managed to recall most of it." Her cheeks became faintly pink and she let out a small nervous laugh. "Sorry about that," she added.

"It's okay," he replied with a small smile as he gazed upward, as though lost in a pleasant memory. Helga raised an eyebrow at this and wondered silently to herself if he had indeed kissed her back. Remembering where he was, Arnold quickly reverted back to his story. "We managed to get out of Rhonda's home afterwards and that's when Phoebe called. Basically, she told me to get you to come home with me for the night so you wouldn't aspirate or something."

"Smart girl, Pheebs," Helga mused.

"No kidding. We walked for a bit, then you started to complain about your feet. So we went into an alleyway where I helped you remove your shoes. Then we danced briefly until you threw up in a dumpster."

"That was classy."

"I kind of twirled and dipped you a little too fast," added Arnold with a smirk.

"You should have known better than to mess with me in my delicate condition," Helga sarcastically remarked.

"After we reached my house," Arnold continued. "I gave you my flannel shirt to change into and left the room to change myself." Realizing that he had forgotten to tell her that he helped her out of her dress, Arnold decided to keep that memory for himself. No need to reveal his discrepancy of glancing at her partially nude body, as it would probably only serve to infuriate her at this time. "I came back to my bedroom after changing and you were gone. However, my skylight window was open. Upon stepping on to the roof, I found you at the edge of the building, gazing up at the stars." A blurred memory resurfaced in Helga's mind. She was leaning over the edge of the building as a light breeze billowed through her hair and she contemplated the night. A familiar voice called her name and she turned, seeing Arnold standing by the skylight with a somewhat awestruck look on his face. The rest of the memory had sadly dissipated into an alcohol soaked murkiness.

"I kind of remember that actually," Helga commented as she finished the last bite of sausage and leaned back in her chair.

"We saw a shooting star together, and after it had passed I asked you what you wished for. You replied that you wished for the courage to tell the truth again." Helga felt her heart rate quicken and her hands began to slightly shake.

"Um, so, uh, what happened then, Arnoldo?" she nervously inquired with a shaky laugh.

"Well, you told me that you…uh…that you loved me." He quickly tensed up and averted his gaze, fearful that Helga would blow up at him. A squeak escaped from Helga as she nearly toppled over in her chair at the shock of what she did while under the influence. She had revealed her deepest, most guarded secret to the one boy that she did not want to find out just yet. Clapping her hand to her mouth, she whipped out of the chair and dashed across the roof. "Helga! WAIT!" Arnold called out, but it was in vain as she had already reached the door and disappeared behind it.

Silently cursing himself, he dashed across the roof to the fire escape and bolted down the stairs and slid down the ladder as quick as he could. He managed to reach the front entrance of the building just as Helga was dashing out, colliding with her and falling back on to the concrete stairs. Helga immediately jumped back up and attempted to run off again, however Arnold blocked her way and forcefully placed his hands upon her shoulders.

"Let me GO, Arnold!" shrieked Helga as she tried to worm her way out of his grasp.

"NO!" Arnold sternly said, tightening his grip on the unhinged girl. This did not stop Helga from fighting and she managed to break free of one of his hands. Quickly turning she ripped herself from his other hand and began to flee down the stairs.

Without thinking Arnold grabbed her arm and whipped her around, crashing his lips against her own in a passionate kiss. Helga's eyes widened in shock, then closed as she allowed herself to melt into the kiss, the one she had waited so long for. She wrapped her arms around his neck and Arnold slightly lifted her off the ground as their tongues met.

A cough from the hallway caused them to abruptly break the kiss and look over to see Grandpa Phil with a large grin on his face. "Way to go, Arnold! You followed your instincts!" He winked at the two surprised teens, then turned and headed towards the kitchen while laughing.

"So…" Helga said sheepishly as she rubbed the back of her neck.

"Yea," replied Arnold with a slight flushing of his cheeks and a nervous smile. "You kind of didn't give me the chance to tell you. So the only way to get your attention was to show you, if you catch my meaning." Helga nodded and sighed, then wrapped her arms around Arnold in a lung crushing hug.

When she stepped back, she tilted her head and asked, "But why me? I'm a basket case, Arnoldo! You of all people should know that."

"You've let down your guard over these past several years, and you're so strong, stronger than I think you realize. You've always managed to stay true to who you are and while you do frustrate me sometimes, you enable me to take off my rose colored glasses and see reality for what it is when I need to. You're the earth to my sky, Helga," he smiled at her and felt his heart lift when he saw that she was practically beaming. "It wasn't until last night when you confessed your love that I realized that the idea of you loving me was the most amazing thing I had ever heard of. I had always known that there was something between us, even when we were younger, and I could never quite explain it until now." Reaching out he clasped her hand in his and gave her a light peck.

"No need to get all mushy on me, football head," she said sardonically, but her happiness was written all over on her face.

"If you're not too busy, would you like to catch a movie and dinner with me tonight?"

Helga cocked her head to the side as though she were deeply considering his proposition, "Well, I guess I could switch around a few appointments of mine. Nothing on the cheap, though. You date Helga G. Pataki, you gotta give her the works!" Arnold laughed at this then wrapped his arm around her waist and brought her in closer with a handsomely devilish smirk.

"I think I can give you the works, and then some," he said in a low voice as he slid his hand up her back that made Helga almost swoon. She grinned at him then grabbed his hand and dragged him out on to the sidewalk where she kissed him deeply. As they kissed, Arnold couldn't help but think to himself how right it felt to be with Helga and how happy he was that they had both finally, after all those years of feuding and conflicted feelings, come to terms with their love for each other. Together they walked down the sidewalk, hand in hand, to enjoy the day that seemed much brighter than usual.

**A/N: Thanks for sticking with this story 'till the end! I think I'm going to write an epilogue soon, so stay tuned for that! Thanks again for reading :) **


	8. Epilogue

The locker door slammed shut in Helga's face as she turned to find Rhonda with a devious smile on her face. "Have a nice Spring Break, Helga?"

"Fine," she curtly replied as she turned to reopen her locker in an attempt to ignore Rhonda.

"Well, we certainly enjoyed your antics at the party last week," Rhonda said, with a derisive snort. Helga's face flushed a little, but she managed to remain stoic as she rummaged in her locker and pulled out various textbooks. "You definitely gave us quite a show," baited Rhonda.

"Hope you enjoyed it, because I know exactly what happened," Helga haughtily responded while banging her locker shut. A small laugh escaped Rhonda.

"And to think you did it all in front of Arnold! Oh what he must think of you know." Rhonda let out another tinkling laugh while Helga's face flushed even more. Next thing Helga knew, she felt a pair of lips crashing against her's as a pair of arms enveloped her body. A loud gasp that surely came from Rhonda met Helga's ears as she realized who was kissing her. She smiled and passionately kissed back before breaking apart and staring into a pair of brilliant green eyes.

"Morning, Rhonda," Arnold kindly greeted acting like his usual self.

"Uh, Arnold! Morning! Wow, uh…so are you two like a thing now?"

"We really ought to thank you actually," Helga said with a mischievous grin. "If it wasn't for your party and your so called prank, then I'm pretty sure our spring break would have been a lot less eventful."

"True. Ready to go to class?" Arnold looked at Helga with a smile as he placed his arm around her shoulder. Helga nodded and the two turned away from Rhonda, who still remained with an expression of complete surprise and bewilderment. She was so surprised by the recent turn of events that she didn't notice when Harold came up behind her.

"Whoa, so they're going out now?" Harold asked. Nodding, Rhonda turned to face him.

"I can't believe it. I sincerely thought that she would completely embarrass herself in front of him and destroy her self esteem. I can't believe we didn't crush her! Ugh, the whole prank was for nothing."

"She seems nicer though. At least she's not a mean old bully anymore from the looks of it," he observed as he attempted to pat Rhonda on the back. She swatted him away and leaned against the lockers, simpering. Nervously, Harold asked, "So, do I still get my end of the deal?"

Disgusted, Rhonda tersely replied, "Of course not you buffoon! The prank failed! Besides, why would I ever kiss y-" She was interrupted as Harold swiftly planted his lips upon her's. Rhonda fell back upon the floor as she spat and yelped in disgust. "WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?"

"Just fulfilling our deal, Rhonda. Besides, I know you li-" He wasn't able to finish his sentence as Rhonda had clapped her hands over his mouth. Noticing that some of their peers were looking at them, she let out a nervous laugh and quickly removed her hands.

"You dare mention that again, I will end you," she warned in a low voice before turning on her heel and walking away in a huff, leaving behind a dejected Harold.

Near the end of the hall around the corner, Helga and Arnold sniggered at the scene that had unfolded before them. "I think she got what she had coming to her," Helga whispered to Arnold, who nodded in response before lightly kissing her, causing her to melt.

"I'm glad I'm with you," Arnold breathed as they broke apart.

A sigh escaped from Helga before she responded with a soft smile, "Me too."

**A/N: Thank you all for your patience! I'm sorry that it took an age for me to write the epilogue and I apologize for how short it is. Thank you again for reading this story and I hope you stay tuned for my future works! :) You're all AMAZING!**


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